Albert Durfee was born in 1841 in Bloomfield, Oakland County, Michigan, the son of Vermont native Nathan (b. 1795) and Canadian Louisa (b. 1810).
Albert’s parents settled in Michigan by 1840. By 1850 Albert was attending school with his sister Alice and living with his family in Cascade, Kent County. In 1850 Albert was attending school with his sister Alice and living with his family in Cascade, Kent County (the family lived near John Laraway, who would also enlist in Company A).
By 1860 Albert was a farm laborer living with his family in Cascade, Kent County where his father had a substantial farm.
Albert stood 5’6” with blue eyes, black hair and a dark complexion and was 20 years old and probably still living with his family in Cascade when he enlisted with his parents’ consent in Company A on May 13, 1861. On November 9, 1861, he was discharged at Fort Lyon, Virginia, for “asthma of several years standing but the attacks have been more frequent since he entered the service, occasioned by exposure to the night air and heavy rains.”
Albert eventually returned to Michigan and reentered the service as a Musician in Company G, 4th Michigan infantry (reorganized) on October 1, 1864, either at Lapeer, Lapeer County or Burlington, Calhoun County for 3 years, crediting Marathon, Lapeer County, and was mustered the same day at Pontiac, Oakland County. The “reorganized” 4th was formed at Adrian and Hudson, Michigan and mustered into service on October 14. It left Michigan for Nashville, Tennessee, on October 22 and moved to Decatur, Alabama, on October 28. From mid-December of 1864 until January 15, 1865, the regiment was on picket duty and guarding supply trains; it was subsequently moved to Huntsville, Alabama where it remained on duty until late March.
Although the regiment was reportedly on duty in Tennessee until June when it was moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, in February of 1865 Albert was reported absent sick in the post hospital at San Antonio, Texas. The regiment did not get to San Antonio until September 24, 1865, where it remained on provost duty until May of 1866. By February of 1866 Albert was listed on detached service. He was mustered out of service with the regiment on May 26, 1866, at Houston, Texas, and the regiment was discharged at Detroit on June 10.
Albert may have returned to Michigan after the war. It is certain, however, that he was living in Wisconsin by 1889 when he applied for and received a pension (no. 890865). It is possible that he was living in western Michigan when he became a member of the Old 3rd Michigan Infantry Association in 1895. He was listed as a single man when he was admitted to the National Military Home in Leavenworth, Kansas, on October 13, 1913 and discharged at his request on December 24. (His nearest relative was listed as a nephew Amos McCaul of Grand Rapids, MI.) Upon discharged from the NMH he moved to University Park, CO.
Albert was living in Denver, Colorado, when he died on July 10, 1921, in South Denver, and was reportedly buried in Crown Hill Cemetery in Wheat Ridge (a suburb of Denver).
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